Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

My Girl Update – Splash Day Must Be Soon

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My Girl Update

Jason Prew has been burning the midnight oil in his boat shed (shelter) – end result My Girl is getting very close to splashing. See a snap shot below, to view / read more check out his blog

http://www.my-girl.co.nz/mygirl/Welcome.html

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Jason – see below – based on the Ken Ricketts theory of boat naming – you should sue 🙂

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Update 14-10-2018 The bling is starting to be added. Nice paint job, but you get that when you glass 😉

Update 25-10-2018 Comparison photo below, an amazing job done by Jason, and given he is not short, a big sacrifice in head-room 🙂

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02-11-2018 Update – My Girl looking very close to a splash, anti-fouling on, the blue looking a lot smarter than the black 🙂

 

Anzac (Freedom Restoration Update

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ANZAC (Freedom)
Todays story is on the restoration of Anzac, the 1911 Bailey & Lowe launch.
Owner Greg Skinner sent in the above photos & I ‘lifted’ a few historical ones (below) from his weblog, which you should check out for more details on the project & the history of the vessel.
Its been a while since we had an update & Greg advised that the following work has been done over the last 2 years:
• Hauled out
• Full strip out of fittings and fixtures
• Wheelhouse removed
• Rear canopy removed
• Duck board removed
• Motor remove – about to be refurbished
• All plumbing, electrical and electronics removed
• Hull – all paint and caulking removed
• Boat shed constructed
Currently Greg is removing ribs (approx. 80 to be replaced) 30% the way through removal (replacement rib material arrived, about to order copper nails)
You have to tip your hat to woodys like Greg & Jason Prew (My Girl) for undertaking woody project of this magnitude. The address for Greg’s weblog is below + the link to the previous WW story on her, there is a great woody tale there so check it out.
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Jimmy & Barney Daniel inspect Freedom at Tinopai

Input from Robin Elliott – They owners have possibly been in to see these but the Auckland War Memorial museum have some early photographs of her in the Winkelmann Collection … as follows.

Oban 24/4/1915 Negative number 8895
ANZAC 11/12/1915 Neg number 8924
ANZAC 12/2/1916 Neg number 8948

ANZAC 1/4/1916 Neg Number 8983

Input from Harold Kidd – She was built by Bailey & Lowe for A B Donald in 1911 as MAPUHI.Alex Burt bought her in 1913 and changed her name to WORCESTER (briefly) then to OBAN, then to ANZAC on 26th November 1915. So there’s a variety of names to call her including her post-ANZAC names of BETTY and FREEDOM.

New Home for Waitematawoodys

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New Home for Waitematawoodys

Yeah right, first I need to find a spare $1million (diary note- buy Lotto ticket)
On ww before we have had a peak inside some of the boat sheds on Ngapipi Road, Orakei, tall very nice but all very practical, but OMG this one has to be the ultimate boys shed.
And oops I forgot to say – there is a classic Hacker Craft included in the price, see below.
(thanks to Peter Loughlin for the trademe listing heads up)
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A Spirit of Tradition Woody

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A Spirit of Tradition Woody

The above launch was built in 1983 but looks 50 years older, so she makes the cut on WW. Her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) describes her as a 37’ Jorgenson Quicksley launch, with a beam of 10’7” & draft of 4’3’.

Hull construction is 1 3/8” kauri plank and the zoom zoom comes from a 100hp GM Detroit diesel.

Home port is Nelson so she comes with all the fruit, including the mandatory diesel heater 😉 Anyone able to put a name to the launch?

Input from John Wicks – Cna’t for the life of me remember her name, but Jorgensens built her for one Cdr. “Sankey” Critchley who lived just outside Blenheim and had a bach at a bay known as Longbeach in the Grove Arm of Queen Charlotte Sound.
Cdr Critchley had previously owned the Albert Strange yawl “Sheila II” which he bought from Adrian Hayter after the latter had sailed her out from the UK.

Anyone Looking For A  Winter Project?

I have been contacted by Mike Renner who inherited a pond yacht (photos below) from his father, who died over 50 years ago.  It’s 1.2 metres long & Mike suspect it belonged to his grandfather.  It’s been hanging in the garage for years and it needs a new home.

 Mike’s grandfather and father were very keen boaties.  His grandfather owned several yachts, including ‘Rogue’, and at one stage owned 32 parts in ‘Waitangi’.  He migrated to launches in later years, including Zane Grey’s ‘Otehei’.
Mike commented that the hull looks is good order & there is a mast included.
So Woodys – it would be a shame for it not to have another life somewhere? Mike can be contacted at  mike@merel.co.nz
 
Ps – looking at the photos I was relieved to see a good stack of firewood in the background 😉
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20-07-2018 Update – I understand the model has found a new home with Greg Lees at his boatyard – I look forward to seeing it finished 🙂

 

 

Korawai

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KORAWAI
Yesterday we ran a story on Jim Greenaway. Jim & wife Lesley owned Korawai in Tauranga from about 1973 to 1981 / 82.
Jim’s main trade was a cabinet maker but he was also a semi-pro boat builder and did a lot of work on Korawai – new galley, teak deck, etc. The family spent many weeks aboard her – including five weeks or so at a stretch every summer at Mercury Island.
Korawai was built by Owen Woolley in 1962 for a F. Niel of Bridge St, Panmure. She is a sister ship tp Taree. Previous owners include Beau Farrell. I photo below I took in January, 2010, anchored off Oneroa, Waiheke Island. (details ex Harold Kidd & Colin Pawson)
Do we know where she is now?
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The story of Jim Greenaway – A Rather Productive Kiwi Boatbuilder

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The story of Jim Greenaway – A Rather Productive Kiwi Boatbuilder

I was sent the profile of Jim Greenaway by his son Rob, who penned it. I recommend you read it, it’s a great read.
How I came to be sent the story is classic WW,  Rob was mooching around the web & found an old article I had done on the CYA forum (in the days b4 WW) on a launch named Korawai & Rob tracked me down.
Tomorrows WW story is on the launch. There will be some great photos dating back to the mid >late 1970’s, make sure you check it out.

ARGO – Mason Marine Clipper 26

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ARGO – Mason Marine Clipper 26

In recent years there has been a resurgence in the restoration of the Mason Marine motor boats. Aside from being very smart craft, the ability to pop them on a trailer & take them home, cuts out the savage marina costs. Her owner has had her since 1993, in later years she was always a project to be completed but life got in the way.

Todays deep vee Clipper 26, Argo, & is for sale on trademe, she looks a little tired after sitting out in the weather for years but the bones are their. Her looks are deceiving. Her hull has been tapped her out and she sounds good. Internal wood work needs a lot of attention.

Although the Clippers originally never had a flying bridge, one was added with hydraulic steering top and bottom.
This boat comes with a 6.4 GMC Diesel motor (not converted) Volvo stern leg plus the standard bits and pieces that were on her originally.

The photos of her in her original glory are from Pete Miller’s web site. Got to love the photo from the “old times” checking for fuel leaks whilst the character n the background has his smoke.

Argo had a wide beam of 9’6” & interesting construction of strip plank cedar glassed on the exterior and ribs on the interior. Fuel consumption must have been fierce with twin 283cu inboards  originally, later replaced by a 440cu Magnum 4bbl and she had a third with a 440 cu Magnum with a 6 BBL carb. But then fuel was dirt cheap in those days.

So Woodys anyone looking for a project?

Lady Margaret For Sale – Buyer Beware

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Lady Margaret A Peek Down Below

Lady Margaret was built in 1948 by Peter Gardiner in Whangarei, given her looks, to a brief that must have said “I like Chris Craft boats, build me one”.
She has a 3” double diagonal kauri hull, & is powered by Ford 120hp twin diesel engines, one of which (port side) is seized.
Her seller, an infamous lurker on WW, has either tried to or has sold several boats in recent times, I won’t comment on these boats as the last time I did I was told – “we know where you live / where you keep your boat – be careful……………..”
On her trademe listing the seller states that the boat was listed by one of Auckland’s biggest brokers for $112k, then $98k & now he is selling it for $49k ono. I wonder why the falling asking price ? Dockside chat tells me she has been hauled out in the last year, can anyone enlighten us on the reason for the haul out & the nature of any work?
You can read more on her past at this 2013 WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/16/lady-margaret-2/
Tip Of The Day: WW always encourages people to do a survey b4 buying a classic wooden boat.
UPDATE 09-08-2018 Photo below (dated 11/04/2018) sent in be a woody.
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UPDATE
Lady Margaret – Listed on Tom Nesbitt website – the asking / starting bid is $40k
Robin Gae – has just appeared on the same site, I’m told a coat of paint & its now double the purchase price. Nice of him to use some WW photos + video in his listing.
UPDATE 23-09-2018 After being banned on trademe the seller has now popped up on facebook marketplace
UPDATE 24-09-2018 SOLD – see below (owners name deleted)
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Waimata

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WAIMATA

Resident Lake Rotoiti boat builder Alan Craig (Craig Marine), sent me the above photos of the 28’ launch Waimata. She has just been at Alan’s yard for a hull paint job.

Alan commented that while a resident on Lake Rotoit she is not always seen at the annual Wooden Boat Parade.

Her owners believe she is a Collings and Bell built in 1926 & bought buy the Corson family around 1939 to bring to the lake. They changed the name so we are not sure of her original name.

Her zoom zoom these days is via a Nanni diesel, prior to this she had a Grey Marine & previous to that, something much bigger that made her “really go” according to her owner.

Interested to know if the builders plate is original? – I have not seen one like that before.

Waimata is a very well maintained woody & with Alan’s input is looking very smart.

So woodys – what do we know about this boats past?

Input from Paul Drake –

The C & B builder’s plate in this morning’s WW post is of interest.
Below is a pic of SIR FRANCIS’s plate from 1916. Notice the slight difference in phone numbers.
Rather unusual to have a phone number on a builder’s plate, don’t you think?
These days one might include an email address!
Alan H Question – when did Auckland ph numbers change from 4 to 5 digits?
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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

As I’ve send many times before, if your want a stunning day weather wise, schedule a Classic Yacht Association event – the hit rate must be 9/10.

Over 100 CYA members & friends made the trip north to Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit – our host for the day, Greg Lees, turned on a brilliant woody event – we had everything – woody projects underway, the best collection of 1/2 models I seen outside of the RNZYS walls, a photo montage recording the history of the yard & the vessels built over the years.

 Center stage was Jenny & Angus Rogers – Mahanui, in the shed for a new deck, alongside her was a very original Chris Craft that was getting a restoration. 

The varnish guru Dale has already applied 23 coats, with 6 more to come. Compared to our old girls, these American woodys are very lightly built, amazing that so many have survived.

Outside we had Anna & Nic Davidson’s – Juanita, on one slip & Barbara & David Cooke’s woody flagship – Trinidad, alongside the wharf. In midstream was Yvonne, waiting her turn in the shed.

On the hard was a selection of small craft built by either Greg, his father Tim or other local craftsman. Not woodys but certainly classic were Greg’s two English built, aluminium Albatross runabouts – the very rare 4 seater is next on Greg’s to-do list. Included are a few photos of other woodys in or out of the water.

Greg gave an articulate talk on his families boatbuilding history & how they came to be situated on the Sandspit foreshore. At the end he announced the official launch of the 2018 Rudder Cup launch race to be run on Friday 14th December to Sail Rock & back. See flyer below, I encourage all woody owners to consider participating. At this stage we (I’m on the race committee, along with Jason Prew, Nathan Herbert, Baden Pascoe & Barbara & David Cooke) are calling for expressions of interest in racing – entry to the race is by invitation, as per the original race format in 1908.

 Big ups to Greg & family + staff for turning on the day, including BBQ. Special thanks also to the CYA committee members that pulled it all together. 

Lastly a little something below for the petrol heads – Greg had on display his Jesser BSA 500cc twin, hill climb racer. Built in 1962 by Les Jesser, she is a 2 time Australian  class champion. 

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CYA Rudder Cup 2018 flyer